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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a compact back maintenance device. The invention specifically describes a back brush with an extendible handle and a brush head wherein said handle is stored.
2. Background of the Invention
Proper back maintenance generally requires one or more devices to scratch, scrub, or rub an area of the body not effectively reached because of mobility restrictions inherent to the human arm. Most back brushes include a handle to access the entire back. Such devices are long with a majority of this length occupied by the handle. It is not uncommon for a back brush to have a length ratio, handle-to-brush head, in excess of three.
Back brushes include both fixed and variable length devices. Nejdl, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,511 issued on Mar. 2, 1999, describes and claims a fixed length device. Unfortunately, fixed length back brushes by their very nature provide neither the range of leverage nor the control required to effectively maintain the entire back surface. Furthermore, the size and shape of such devices do not lend themselves to travel.
Various examples are cited in the related art facilitating the adjustment of back brush length. No single device provides the compactness, adjustability, elegance of design, and simplicity of use of the present invention.
Miyaoka, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,108 issued on Apr. 2, 1985, describes and claims a back brush with a fixed length handle slidably disposed within a brush head. A portion of the handle length, slightly less than the length of the brush head, is stowed within the brush head. While Miyaoka attempts to address the issue of storage length, it provides a fifty percent reduction in total brush length at best in its retracted state. Furthermore, leverage and control adjustments are limited to the length of the brush head.
Wu, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,509 issued on Oct. 5, 1999, describes and claims a multi-functional back brush with two-piece handle pivotally connected to allow adjustable rotation. In general, the claimed handle design provides improved leverage and control adjustments. However, the invention fails to provide a volume efficient envelope when the device is not in use.
Lin, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,623 issued on Jun. 29, 1982, describes and claims a bathing brush having a pair of opposed retractable handles each connected to the brush body by a set of strings, with a spring-based retracting means located within said body. Unlike the present invention, Lin neither provides for the complete storage of the handle nor achieves storage in a mechanically simple manner. Furthermore, Lin relies on a flexible member, more specifically a string, to facilitate storage of the handle. In doing so, Lin requires two hand grips to properly control and operate the device.
The related art clearly demonstrates the limits of existing back brushes. What is currently required is a back maintenance device with a rigid, adjustable length handle to optimize leverage and control. What is currently required is a back maintenance device that stows a variable length handle within the brush head thereby minimizing device volume when not in use. What is currently required is a device that facilitates compactability and adjustability in a mechanically simple design that remains easy to use.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to avoid the disadvantages of the related arts. More particularly, it is the object of the invention to provide a back maintenance device with an adjustable length handle to optimize leverage and control of a brush head. It is also the object of the invention to provide a back maintenance device that facilitates storage of the brush handle within the brush head envelope. It is a further object of the invention to provide a compactable and adjustable brush handle that is both mechanically simple and easy to use.
The present invention is a personal hygiene device. Specifically, the invention is a back maintenance device comprised of a brush head attached to a variable length handle.
The brush head facilitates scratching, scrubbing, or rubbing of the human torso. In the preferred embodiment, one abrasive element is attached to the brush head. In an alternate embodiment, a second abrasive element is attached to the brush head. Abrasive elements may include bristle and porous structures.
The variable length handle is both extendible from and retractable into a storage cavity within the brush head. The variable length handle is telescoping. In the preferred embodiment, the handle is composed of two or more fixed length tubular members slidably disposed and extending to form a rigid handle structure. In an alternate embodiment, the handle is composed of a coiled member slidably disposed along its length and extending to form a rigid handle structure.
In alternate embodiments, a protective cover is provided over one or both abrasive elements. The protective cover is secured to the brush head via a mechanical attachment. When two covers are desired, both covers may be secured to the brush head or covers attached to one another. Cover design prevents damage to the underlying bristle and sponge.
The present invention offers several advantages over the related arts. First, the extendible handle facilitates a compact storage envelope by the back maintenance device when not in use. Specifically, retraction of the handle into a cavity within the brush head achieves a handle-to-brush-head length ratio approximately no greater than one. The present invention thereby provides the extension required to completely access the entire torso, yet eliminates the bulk found in the related arts. The present invention is more compatible with volume critical activities, one example including travel. Second, the variable length handle and brush head arrangement enables a user to optimize scratching, scrubbing, or rubbing motion in a specific area. Specifically, the handle is extendible to the extent required to optimize leverage and control of the brush head within the desired area. This feature eliminates the awkwardness created when handle length exceeds an optimum extension length for the intended use.